Hood and method of use

ABSTRACT

A clothing accessory is provided to be worn on the head of a user and is provided with an upper end portion, an open lower end portion, a forward portion and a rearward portion. The forward portion is provided with at least one eye opening. The rearward portion is provided with a rear opening that is shaped and sized to permit the user to pass the user&#39;s head from within an interior portion of the clothing accessory through the rear opening. A removable visor may be coupled with the clothing accessory above the eye opening. One or more flaps may be positioned near the rear opening for covering the rear opening.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED PATENT APPLICATIONS

The invention claims priority from U.S. Provisional patent applicationNo. 60/990,500 entitled HOOD AND METHOD OF USE by COBY R. ROWE, PAOLODELLA BORDELLA, and JAIME DARETTA, filed on Nov. 27, 2007, whichProvisional patent application is hereby incorporated by reference inits entirety.

BACKGROUND

Clothing accessories, such as hats and masks have been previously usedfor a variety of reasons, including fashion, temperature control, and toprotect users from the elements. Some clothing accessories have beenprovided to cover the top of a user's head, while others have beenprovided to also cover portions of the user's face or neck. Suchclothing accessories, however, have provided little variance to thepositions in which they may be worn.

Where an accessory has been provided, for example, to cover the top ofthe user's head, the user has had to remove the clothing accessorycompletely to gain access to the top of the user's head. Clothingaccessories have not been typically crafted in a manner that permittedan alternate use position on the user that provided the user with easyaccess to the top of the user's head. This has also been the case wherethe clothing accessory has been provided to cover the user's face. Inorder to gain access to the user's face to eat, for example, theclothing accessory typically should be removed from the user.

SUMMARY

This Summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in asimplified form that are further described below in the DetailedDescription. This Summary, and the foregoing Background, is not intendedto identify key aspects or essential aspects of the claimed subjectmatter. Moreover, this Summary is not intended for use as an aid indetermining the scope of the claimed subject matter.

In some embodiments, a clothing accessory is provided that may be wornon the head of a user like a hood. The clothing accessory has a bodyportion with an upper end portion, a lower end portion, a forwardportion and a rearward portion. The lower end portion of the body ispreferably provided with a neck hole that is shaped and sized to permitthe user to pass the user's head through the opening and into aninterior portion of the body. The forward portion of the body may haveat least one eye hole that is positioned to expose at least one eye ofthe user when the clothing accessory is positioned in a first useposition on the user's head. The rearward portion of the body ispreferably provided with a rear opening that is shaped and sized topermit the user's head to pass through the rear opening from within theinterior portion of said body.

In certain embodiments, the clothing accessory is formed from a flexiblefabric. Perforated material may be positioned along the forward portionof the body to provide greater airflow adjacent the user's mouth whenthe clothing accessory is worn in the first use position.

The rear opening may be provided in various shapes and orientations topermit the user's head to easily pass through the opening from the firstuse position. Gathers may be provided along a peripheral edge portion ofthe rear opening to help bias the opening toward a closed position whenthe clothing accessory is in the first use position on the user's head.A rear flap may be coupled with the rearward portion of the body, nearthe rear opening, so that the flap substantially covers the rear openingwhen the clothing accessory is in the first use position.

In some embodiments, a user may place the clothing accessory on theuser's head, into the first use position, by passing the user's headthrough the neck hole and positioning the forward portion so that theeye hole exposes at least one of the user's eyes. From the first useposition, the user may pass the user's head through the rear openingfrom the interior portion of the body to expose the user's head, leavingat least a substantial portion of the body around the user's neck.Accordingly, the user may move the clothing accessory to a second useposition that permits the user to eat and drink, among other activitieswithout completely removing the clothing accessory. The clothingaccessory is returned to the first use position or removed by firstpassing the user's head back through the rear opening.

In some embodiments, the clothing accessory may be formed from a varietyof materials that assist in blocking sun, wind and other elements fromthe user's head and neck. In one aspect, the materials used to constructthe clothing accessory are sufficiently porous to provide the user withadequate ventilation, while continuing to shield the user from the sunand other weather elements.

These and other aspects of the present system and method will beapparent after consideration of the Detailed Description and Figuresherein. It is to be understood, however, that the scope of the inventionshall be determined by the claims as issued and not by whether givensubject matter addresses any or all issues noted in the Background orincludes any features or aspects recited in this Summary.

DRAWINGS

Non-limiting and non-exhaustive embodiments of the present invention,including the preferred embodiment, are described with reference to thefollowing figures, wherein like reference numerals refer to like partsthroughout the various views unless otherwise specified.

FIG. 1 depicts: one embodiment of the clothing accessory and one mannerin which it may be worn by a user.

FIG. 2 depicts a front elevation view of the clothing accessory of FIG.1.

FIG. 3 depicts a rear elevation view of the clothing accessory of FIG. 1and shows one embodiment of the rear opening and flap.

FIG. 4 depicts a side elevation view of the clothing accessory of FIG.1.

FIG. 5 depicts a top plan view of the clothing accessory of FIG. 1.

FIG. 6 depicts one embodiment of an interior portion of the clothingaccessory depicted in FIG. 1.

FIG. 7 depicts a side elevation view of one manner in which the clothingaccessory depicted in FIG. 1 may be moved from a first use position to asecond use position by passing the user's head through the rear openingof the clothing accessory.

FIG. 8 depicts a side elevation view of the user and clothing accessoryof FIG. 7 after the user has moved the clothing accessory to a seconduse position.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Embodiments are described more fully below with reference to theaccompanying figures, which form a part hereof and show by way ofillustration, specific exemplary embodiments. These embodiments aredisclosed in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art topractice the technology. However, embodiments may be implemented in manydifferent forms and should not be construed as being limited to theembodiments set forth herein. The following detailed description is,therefore, not to be taken in a limiting sense.

With reference to FIG. 1, a clothing accessory 10 may be provided to beworn about the head and neck areas of a user. The clothing accessory 10is provided with a body portion 12, having an upper end portion 14, alower end portion 16, a forward portion 18 and a rearward portion 20.The lower end portion 16 is formed to have a neck hole 22 that is shapedand sized to permit the user to pass the user's head through the neckhole 22 and into an interior portion 24 of the body portion 12. Theforward portion 18 of the body portion 12 is formed to have at least oneeye hole 26 that is positioned to expose at least one eye of the userwhen the clothing accessory 10 is positioned in a first use position onthe user's head. It is contemplated, however, that one or more eye holes26 may be provided, depending upon the desired coverage of the user'sface. It is further contemplated that the eye holes 26 may be formed tohave nearly any shape, including round, oval, or various polygonalshapes, depending upon the desired end product.

In one embodiment, a mesh or perforated material may be positionedwithin the forward portion 18 of the body portion 12 to form a mouth ormouth and nose area 28 of the clothing accessory 10. Use of the mesh orperforated material increases the ease with which the user may breathethrough the clothing accessory 10 when it is worn in its first useposition. The mesh or perforated material further increases the clarityin which a user's words are understood while the user is speaking andwearing the clothing accessory 10 simultaneously.

With reference to FIGS. 3, 4, and 7, the rearward portion 20 of the bodyportion 12 may be provided with a rear opening 30 that is shaped andsized to permit the user's head to pass through the rear opening 30 fromwithin the interior portion 24 of the body portion 12. While the rearopening 30 is generally depicted as an elongated, generally horizontallydisposed slit, it is contemplated that the shape and orientation of therear opening 30 may vary greatly from one embodiment to another,depending upon the desired aesthetic and functional attributes of theclothing accessory 10. One or more flaps 32 may be coupled with therearward portion 20 of the body portion 12, adjacent the rear opening30, so that the one or more flaps 32 are biased toward a closed positionthat conceals the rear opening 30. While it is contemplated that therear opening 30 may be provided with various elastic materials orreinforcements to urge the rear opening 30 toward a closed position, theflap 32 may provide a reduced likelihood that sun and other such weatherelements will pass through the rear opening 30 when the clothingaccessory 10 is worn by the user. Various mechanical fasteners,including hook and loop materials, snaps, buttons, or the like arecontemplated for securing the flap 32 in a closed position against therearward portion 20 of the body portion 12.

The clothing accessory 10 may be assembled from one or more panels ofgenerally flexible material. The edge portions of such panels offlexible material may be coupled to one another by sewing the panels toone another. Adhesives and other methods of mechanically coupling thepanels with one another are contemplated. The type of material selectedto form the clothing accessory 10 may be dependent upon the intended useof the clothing accessory 10. For example, heavier weight materials,including wool, fleece, and the like, may provide an increased level ofwarmth to a user in cool climates. Similarly, various mesh or perforatedmaterials will allow the clothing accessory 10 to breathe more freelywith the ambient air while significantly reducing the likelihood ofcontact between the user's head and sunlight or other weather elements.It is further contemplated that one or more natural or syntheticwaterproof materials could be used to construct the clothing accessory10. Such materials may be laminated to or coated with one or more knownwaterproofing substances, such as rubber, polyvinyl chloride (PVC),polyurethane (PU), silicone elastomer, and wax. Various colors orpatterns, including camouflage, may be utilized in order to expand theusage of the clothing accessory 10 in one or more various activitiesthat include hunting in different seasons.

An optional visor, formed from various semi-rigid and flexiblematerials, may also be provided above the one or more eye holes 26. Inthis manner, additional protection from sunlight and weather elementsare provided to the partially exposed eyes of the user. It iscontemplated that such a visor structure may be permanently or removablysecured to the body portion 12, as desired.

In one aspect, the user may put the clothing accessory 10 on the user'shead by first passing the user's head through the neck hole 22 of thebody portion 12 and into the interior portion 24. The user may need toadjust the position of the one or more eye holes 26 to properly alignwith the user's eyes. Likewise, any mouth and nose areas of the clothingaccessory 10 may be adjusted to be aligned with the user's mouth andnose. The lower end portion 16 of the clothing accessory 10 may bedraped about the neck of the user and may, depending upon the length ofthe clothing accessory 10, be tucked into other garments worn by theuser, such as a shirt or jacket.

With reference to FIGS. 7 and 8, the user may move the clothingaccessory 10 from its first use position to a second use position thatprovides the user access to the user's face and head. In doing so, theuser may open the rear opening 30, pushing the one or more flaps 32 awayfrom the rear opening 30. The body portion 12 of the clothing accessory10 may then be pulled in a forward direction over the face of the user,causing the user's head to pass from the interior portion 24 of the bodyportion 12 through the rear opening 30. With reference to FIG. 8, thesecond use position of the clothing accessory 10 disposes the clothingaccessory 10 about the neck of the user, leaving the user's face andsignificant portions of the user's head exposed. In disposition, theuser is free to eat, drink or the like without completely removing theclothing accessory 10 from the user's body. In doing so, the user leavesthe clothing accessory 10 in a readily accessible location for reversingthe procedure to move the clothing accessory 10 back into its first useposition around the user's head.

Although the clothing accessory has been described in language that isspecific to certain structures, materials, and methodological steps, itis to be understood that the invention defined in the appended claims isnot necessarily limited to the specific structures, materials, and/orsteps described. Rather, the specific aspects and steps are described asforms of implementing the claimed invention. Since many embodiments ofthe invention can be practiced without departing from the spirit andscope of the invention, the invention resides in the claims hereinafterappended. Unless otherwise indicated, all numbers or expressions, suchas those expressing dimensions, physical characteristics, etc. used inthe specification (other than the claims) are understood as modified inall instances by the term “approximately.” At the very least, and not asan attempt to limit the application of the doctrine of equivalents tothe claims, each numerical parameter recited in the specification orclaims which is modified by the term “approximately” should at least beconstrued in light of the number of recited significant digits and byapplying ordinary rounding techniques. Moreover, all ranges disclosedherein are to be understood to encompass and provide support for claimsthat recite any and all subranges or any and all individual valuessubsumed therein. For example, a stated range of 1 to 10 should beconsidered to include and provide support for claims that recite any andall subranges or individual values that are between and/or inclusive ofthe minimum value of 1 and the maximum value of 10; that is, allsubranges beginning with a minimum value of 1 or more and ending with amaximum value of 10 or less (e.g., 5.5 to 10, 2.34 to 3.56, and soforth) or any values from 1 to 10 (e.g., 3, 5.8, 9.9994, and so forth).Expressions such as “up,” “down,”, “upper,” “lower,” “horizontal,”“vertical,” “left,” “right,” and the like are used, where applicable, toprovide some clarity of description when dealing with relativerelationships but these terms are not intended to imply absoluterelationships, positions, and/or orientations. For example, with respectto an object, an “upper” surface can become a “lower” surface simply byturning the object over. Nevertheless, it is still the same object.

1. A clothing accessory to be worn on the head of a user, the clothing accessory comprising: a body having: (i) an upper end portion; (ii) an open lower end portion defined by a neck hole; (iii) a forward portion; (iv) a rearward portion; and an interior, the forward portion of the body having at least one eye hole between the upper end portion and the open lower end portion; the rearward portion of the body having a rear opening between the upper end portion and the lower end portion; the rear opening being in open communication with the interior of the body.
 2. The clothing accessory of claim 1 wherein the forward portion of the body includes a portion of perforated material between the open lower end portion and the at least one eye hole.
 3. The clothing accessory of claim 2 wherein the portion of perforated material defines a mouth area of the forward portion of the body.
 4. The clothing accessory of claim 1 wherein the rear opening is provided as an elongated slit that extends transverse with a long axis of the hood that extends between the upper end portion and the open lower end portion.
 5. The clothing accessory of claim 1 further comprising one or more flaps coupled with the rearward portion of the body, adjacent the rear opening, and movable between an open position that exposes the rear opening and a closed position that conceals the rear opening.
 6. The clothing accessory of claim 5 wherein the at least one of the one or more flaps is biased toward the closed position.
 7. The clothing accessory of claim 6 further comprising an elastic material that is coupled with the rearward portion of the body, adjacent the rear opening, whereby the at least one of the one or more flaps is biased toward the closed position.
 8. The clothing accessory of claim 6 further comprising one or more fasteners coupled with the rearward portion of the body, adjacent the rear opening and the one or more flaps, whereby the one or more fasteners may secure the at least one of the one or more flaps in the closed position.
 9. The clothing accessory of claim 1 wherein the body is comprised of a waterproof material.
 10. The clothing accessory of claim 1 further comprising a visor that is operatively coupled with the forward portion of the body, between the upper end portion and the at least one eye hole.
 11. The clothing accessory of claim 10 wherein the visor is comprised of a semi-rigid material.
 12. The clothing accessory of claim 11 wherein the visor is removably coupled with the body.
 13. A method of using a clothing accessory, the method comprising: providing clothing accessory comprising a body having: (i) an upper end portion; (ii) an open lower end portion defined by a neck hole; (iii) a forward portion; (iv) a rearward portion; and an interior, the forward portion of the body having at least one eye hole between the upper end portion and the open lower end portion; the rearward portion of the body having a rear opening between the upper end portion and the lower end portion; the rear opening being in open communication with the interior of the body; positioning the clothing accessory on a user's head by passing the user's head through the neck hole of the body and into the interior of the body; and positioning the clothing accessory about a neck of the user by passing the user's head through the rear opening of the body and pulling the body into a position about the user's neck.
 14. The method of claim 13 further comprising: prior to positioning the clothing accessory about a neck of the user, moving the clothing accessory into a first use position whereby the user's head is substantially disposed within the interior of the body and at least one eye of the user is exposed by the at least one eye opening.
 15. The method of claim 13 further comprising: after positioning the clothing accessory about a neck of the user, moving the clothing accessory into a first use position whereby the user's head is substantially disposed within the interior of the body and at least one eye of the user is exposed by the at least one eye opening.
 16. The method of claim 13 further comprising: providing the clothing accessory with one or more flaps that are coupled with the rearward portion of the body, adjacent the rear opening, and movable between an open position that exposes the rear opening and a closed position that conceals the rear opening; and moving the one or more flaps into an open position before passing the user's head through the rear opening.
 17. The method of claim 15 further comprising: providing the clothing accessory with one or more flaps that are coupled with the rearward portion of the body, adjacent the rear opening, and movable between an open position that exposes the rear opening and a closed position that conceals the rear opening; and moving the one or more flaps into a closed position after moving the clothing accessory into the first use position.
 18. The method of claim 17 further comprising: providing the clothing accessory with one or more fasteners adjacent the one or more flaps and the rear opening; and securing the one or more flaps in a closed position using the one or more fasteners.
 19. The method of claim 15 further comprising: providing the clothing accessory with a visor; and removably coupling the visor with the forward portion of the body, between the upper end portion and the at least one eye hole, after moving the clothing accessory into the first use position. 